Deputy Minister Rubbishes Allegations Against Vice-President

A deputy minister of information, Mr. Andrews Awuni, has rubbished allegations in some quarters that the vice president, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, instructed a group of military-cum-police personnel operating in Bimbilla to forcibly impose Salifu Damuni as the Nakpa-Na on the people of Nanumba traditional area.

He disclosed that the vice president is highly conscious of the tenets of the NPP constitution, which does not allow any member of the party to meddle in chieftaincy issues at any level.

"Even though, I have not spoken with the vice president on the issue, I am very much optimistic that he will not involve himself in such chieftaincy matters, especially at a place as big as the Bimbilla area," he said.

A group of people who claim to be the representatives of king makers from Nanungu in the Nanumba traditional area on August 8, this year told pressmen in Accra that the "vice president and his co-host used brutal and repressive police and military contingents in Bimbilla to en-skin Nakpa-Na Salifu Dawuni as the second chief of the town of Bimbilla."

They alleged that six out of the nine king makers on April 4, this year unanimously en-skinned Naa Andani Dasana Abudulai II chief, who the traditional council qualified to be the chief of the people, but three months later, Alhaji Mahama threw overboard the decision of traditional king makers and with the force of arms imposed Nakpa-Na Salifu Dawuni on the people.

According to them, a kangaroo judicial committee was set up to investigate the matter. However, at the end of the investigation, conflicting reports emerged as the committee chairman delivered one and the registrar also had a different story to tell.

They further alleged that a military man disclosed at a Pito bar in Bimbilla that they (the police and military contingent) had their orders from Accra.

Reacting to the allegation in an interview with the Chronicle the deputy minister could not believe why some people have decided to drag the vice president into matters which he had no interest in.

He noted that the vice president, abreast with the constitution of the party and the repercussions likely to arise as a result of a member's involvement in chieftaincy matters, will as a matter of principle not dare to do so.

He hinted that he believed the so-called representatives had a hidden agenda carefully calculated to soil the hard won image of the vice president.

"Why didn't they organize the press conference in the north and invite all the media representatives there but decided to travel all the way from Bimbilla to Accra where they know very well that most of the press men here have very little knowledge about incidents taking place there," he queried.

On the judicial committee set up to investigate the matter, Mr. Awuni wondered who set that up, what , the terms of reference, what mandate or power was given to it to operate, what duration was given to it to complete its finding and who was to receive the report.

He further stated that if a military officer points to Accra as his source of order to operate, why was it not referred to the head of the military conmand or the president, but rather the vice president?

He advised those who have resorted to smearing the name of the vice president with chieftaincy issues to try and find out how best they will be able to handle their own matters without dragging the name of the vice president into it.